I'm shocked no one has started a thread for this absolute slug fest yet. I hear they're expecting some double digits... bags. 

 

Personally, this is one of my favorite venues they fish. It reminds me a lot of the Northwest River here in Virginia where I do a good bit of fishing. Cypress everywhere and plenty of fish, but good luck finding them over 2 lbs. 

Anyone see John Cox stick that 11” fish then reel in 10 pounds of weeds etc? That’s why I’m always using heavy/extra heavy rods when F&P. 
 

This is one of those places where 45 pounds over 4 days gets you a blue trophy..

I predicted 44 lbs would win. Looking forward to seeing a different cast of characters at the top.

I like a tough venue and I know @scalefacedoes too. Saw cox catch a small one and say “order the pizza!” 😂 

Anyone else see the new Bassmaster drama? Slick Johnson posted last night saying an angler got caught complaining about the coverage, in particular Davey Hite. Davey tried to get him removed from the circuit but BASS decided to fine him $5k. The angler is also apparently not receiving a camera in his boat again. 
 

The speculation is that it’s a former winner at Sabine….

25 minutes ago, Pumpkin Lizard said:

I predicted 44 lbs would win. Looking forward to seeing a different cast of characters at the top.

I didn't do fantasy this year, but that seems about right. I'm hoping someone gets a couple kickers and pushes that 50lb mark.

 

2 minutes ago, GReb said:

Anyone else see the new Bassmaster drama? Slick Johnson posted last night saying an angler got caught complaining about the coverage, in particular Davey Hite. Davey tried to get him removed from the circuit but BASS decided to fine him $5k. The angler is also apparently not receiving a camera in his boat again. 
 

The speculation is that it’s a former winner at Sabine….

I hadn't heard about this before. I just checked it out. I'm curious what exactly was said about Davy? I would take it by the way he said it to mean Brock Mosley was the guy in the middle of all this. 

Makes me feel better about myself when I see “Big Bass Leader” and it’s a 3# a couple hours in 

45 minutes ago, hokiehunter373 said:

Makes me feel better about myself when I see “Big Bass Leader” and it’s a 3# a couple hours in 

Right there with ya, that’s a monster LM for my

area. We have a million SM that size tho 

58 minutes ago, GReb said:

Anyone else see the new Bassmaster drama? Slick Johnson posted last night saying an angler got caught complaining about the coverage, in particular Davey Hite. Davey tried to get him removed from the circuit but BASS decided to fine him $5k. The angler is also apparently not receiving a camera in his boat again. 
 

The speculation is that it’s a former winner at Sabine….

I can’t believe I bothered to look this up. Taking it with a grain of salt but apparently it took place at Hartwell. The angler in question made disparaging comments about Hite’s coverage and it was pay a $5000 or not fish the first day. Sounds like old news that someone resurrected.

Isn't Davy Hite just a commentator for Bass? Why does his opinion mean anything to the decision makers there? I'm not sure what the negative comments were, but who cares if a competitor makes a negative comment about an announcer? I get why you can't make disparaging comments about officials or league leadership, but an announcer? That would be like LeBron getting fined for his beef with Stephen A Smith.

Fishing in mud. I can relate to this.  I wonder if anyone is using a black spinnerbait with copper blades? 

49 minutes ago, JHoss said:

Isn't Davy Hite just a commentator for Bass? Why does his opinion mean anything to the decision makers there? I'm not sure what the negative comments were, but who cares if a competitor makes a negative comment about an announcer? I get why you can't make disparaging comments about officials or league leadership, but an announcer? That would be like LeBron getting fined for his beef with Stephen A Smith.

The announcers are employees of BASS and the agreement the anglers signed says they cannot say anything negative about BASS or its employees. I think BASS has forgotten their independent contractors make them money though. It’s the only value they have as an organization. Not like people are lining up to get BASS membership cards and magazines like they were in 1999

15 minutes ago, scaleface said:

Fishing in mud. I can relate to this.  I wonder if anyone is using a black spinnerbait with copper blades? 

Wish I had one, that’s the color of the water near my house right now 

I like watching rivet fish

 

menendez says the fish are feeding on blue crabs 

14 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

I like watching rivet fish

 

menendez says the fish are feeding on blue crabs 

Is that a new hair do for him? 
 

A Mohawk type cut? 

He lost a bet 😂 

Who’d he bet? Ben?? 😂🤣😂

Mercer I believe 

1 hour ago, GReb said:

The announcers are employees of BASS and the agreement the anglers signed says they cannot say anything negative about BASS or its employees. I think BASS has forgotten their independent contractors make them money though. It’s the only value they have as an organization. Not like people are lining up to get BASS membership cards and magazines like they were in 1999

 

I guess it depends on what he said and what the language of the agreement is. According to Ken Duke on Bass After Dark, BASS has like 500,000 subscribers/members. That's supposedly the sweet spot magazine wise because after it gets bigger the magazine makes less or loses money.

 

One of the big problems with these niche sports is that the tv production is all in house. There really isn't much independent media other some pods and YouTube. another site is owned by Kroenke who owns MLF. Since there isn't any separation of church and state nobody can really say whatever they want. Like Ronnie Moore isn't going to get up there and decry something about BASS. JT isn't going to say something bad about MLF etc.

I enjoy watching the anglers have to grind it out. They’re the best in the world, so who’s gonna go prove it when it’s tough… 

 

Ike and GDP are both from south jersey and doing well - water looks pretty similar to home! 

1 hour ago, TnRiver46 said:

I like watching rivet fish

 

menendez says the fish are feeding on blue crabs 

I believe it. They do the same on the tidal rivers here in Virginia. Can't say I've gotten on a blue crab pattern myself, but know it happens.

 

1 hour ago, GReb said:

The announcers are employees of BASS and the agreement the anglers signed says they cannot say anything negative about BASS or its employees. I think BASS has forgotten their independent contractors make them money though. It’s the only value they have as an organization. Not like people are lining up to get BASS membership cards and magazines like they were in 1999

Agreed. There's plenty of YouTube fisherman making more than some of the Elite guys. BASS needs them more than they need BASS.

 

19 minutes ago, Pumpkin Lizard said:

I guess it depends on what he said and what the language of the agreement is. According to Ken Duke on Bass After Dark, BASS has like 500,000 subscribers/members. That's supposedly the sweet spot magazine wise because after it gets bigger the magazine makes less or loses money.

I've heard him talk about that before, too. Makes sense, but I'd also think that BASS is going to have challenges maintaining those numbers in the future. I don't see where the value is in being a BASS member? A magazine a few times a year with info that's already all over the internet... big deal. 

 

2 minutes ago, LootyDjibouti said:

I enjoy watching the anglers have to grind it out. They’re the best in the world, so who’s gonna go prove 

 

Ike and GDP are both from south jersey and doing well - water looks pretty similar to home! 

Crazy to think that Texas, New Jersey, and Virginia all have similar fisheries. I've never bass fished up north, but assumed it would be much different than what we have down here. 

43 minutes ago, Pumpkin Lizard said:

 

I guess it depends on what he said and what the language of the agreement is. According to Ken Duke on Bass After Dark, BASS has like 500,000 subscribers/members. That's supposedly the sweet spot magazine wise because after it gets bigger the magazine makes less or loses money.

 

One of the big problems with these niche sports is that the tv production is all in house. There really isn't much independent media other some pods and YouTube. another site is owned by Kroenke who owns MLF. Since there isn't any separation of church and state nobody can really say whatever they want. Like Ronnie Moore isn't going to get up there and decry something about BASS. JT isn't going to say something bad about MLF etc.

I’d have never guessed they had that many. I haven’t seen a Bassmaster magazine in years. Would love to know the age demographic of their members 

47 minutes ago, GReb said:

I’d have never guessed they had that many. I haven’t seen a Bassmaster magazine in years. Would love to know the age demographic of their members 

The fact that they are trying to maintain it but they aren’t trying to grow it tells me it’s a revenue stream but maybe not the most critical one perhaps.

 

I signed up last year. I got a hat, a little bag that was kind of useless, sticker and some lures. The magazine actually has some decent content that isn’t on the internet but it’s not the same magazine that I got as a kid with a couple thousand words or more on what happpened in the tournaments. But in today’s economy I’ve gotten much less for $15 a year.

1 hour ago, JHoss said:

 

 

I've heard him talk about that before, too. Makes sense, but I'd also think that BASS is going to have challenges maintaining those numbers in the future. I don't see where the value is in being a BASS member? A magazine a few times a year with info that's already all over the internet... big deal. 

 

 

The value hasn’t changed much in a while.   For 15 bucks you get some swag, a magazine 8-9 times a year. It’s basically two trips to Starbucks or 1 1/2 fishing magazines that I get on impulse at the grocery store. If they make a buck on every subscription I would be surprised.

I still subscribe. Been doing so since the 70's . I dont read it cover to cover anymore. They use to include a decent hat.